System and method for evaluating acceptable dosage ranges for radiation treatments of body tissue

Abstract

A system and method of producing a reference graph for use in selecting the proper radiation levels for use during radiation therapy. Using the radiation treatment plan, a physician can then create a dose volume histogram. The dose volume histogram is used to create a risk map for selected tissue. Data from one or more databases is then accessed and overlaid onto the risk map to create a reference graph. The data from the selected databases contains historical data of past radiation levels used during prior radiation therapies. Furthermore, the historical data can contain instances of adverse reactions due to high radiation levels. The physician can view the reference graph to determine if the radiation being used on a patient is either overly aggressive or overly safe in all areas of affected tissue.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method of determining radiation levels for use during radiation therapy for a subject patient, said method comprising the steps of:
 utilizing an imaging machine to identify a volume of tissue within said subject patient to be affected by said radiation therapy, wherein said volume of tissue contains a tissue region; 
 determining a radiation dose value corresponding to said tissue region in said patient; 
 providing a computer having access to reference databases; 
 utilizing said computer to generate an initial graph by plotting radiation dose values versus a range of possible fractions into which said radiation therapy can be divided; 
 utilizing said computer to overlay said radiation dose value onto said initial graph; 
 utilizing said computer to retrieve historical data from at least one of said reference databases, wherein said historical data includes past radiation levels used during prior radiation therapies; 
 utilizing said computer to overlay historical data onto said initial graph, therein providing a reference graph to assist in selecting an effective radiation level for said volume of tissue of said subject patient. 
 
     
     
       2. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said historical data contains indicators of adverse effects caused by said past radiation levels at different fractions. 
     
     
       3. The method according to  claim 2 , wherein said historical data contains radiation levels at different fractions used in the past on said subject patient. 
     
     
       4. The method according to  claim 2 , wherein said radiation therapy is to be performed by a particular radiation machine and said historical data contains radiation levels at different fractions used in the past on said particular radiation machine. 
     
     
       5. The method according to  claim 2 , wherein said historical data contains radiation levels at different fractions published in medical journals. 
     
     
       6. The method according to  claim 2 , wherein said historical data contains radiation levels at different fractions utilized in clinical trials. 
     
     
       7. The method according to  claim 2 , further including the step of plotting a maximum radiation dose threshold level onto said reference graph. 
     
     
       8. The method according to  claim 7 , further including the step of plotting a minimum radiation dose threshold level onto said reference graph. 
     
     
       9. A method of producing a reference graph for use in selecting radiation levels to be used during radiation therapy for a subject patient, said method comprising the steps of:
 utilizing an imaging machine to identify a volume of tissue within said subject patient to be affected by said radiation therapy; 
 determining a radiation dose value corresponding to said tissue region in said patient; 
 providing a computer having access to reference databases; 
 utilizing said computer to generate an initial graph by plotting radiation dose values used during said radiation therapy versus a range of possible fractions into which said radiation therapy can be divided; 
 utilizing said computer to overlay said radiation dose value onto said initial graph; 
 utilizing said computer to overlay high and low radiation dose threshold levels onto said initial graph, therein creating a reference graph to assist in selecting an effective radiation level for said volume of tissue within said subject patient. 
 
     
     
       10. The method according to  claim 9 , further including the step retrieving radiation levels from at least one of said reference databases that were found to cause adverse effects when treating similar volumes of tissue in the past, and utilizing said computer to overlay said radiation levels onto said reference graph. 
     
     
       11. The method according to  claim 10 , further including the step of retrieving historical data from at least one of said reference databases, wherein said historical data includes past radiation levels and fractions used during prior radiation therapies, and utilizing said computer to overlay said radiation levels onto said reference graph. 
     
     
       12. The method according to  claim 11 , wherein said radiation therapy is to be conducted by a physician and said historical data contains radiation levels and fractions used in the past by said physician. 
     
     
       13. The method according to  claim 11 , wherein said historical data contains radiation levels and fractions published in medical journals. 
     
     
       14. The method according to  claim 11 , wherein said historical data contains radiation levels and fractions utilized in clinical trials. 
     
     
       15. A method of determining radiation levels for use during radiation therapy for a subject patient, wherein the subject patient has a subject demographic, and wherein the radiation therapy is to be performed on a particular radiation machine, said method comprising the steps of:
 utilizing an imaging machine to identify a volume of tissue within said subject patient to be affected by said radiation therapy; 
 determining a radiation dose value corresponding to said tissue region in said patient; 
 providing a computer having access to reference databases; 
 utilizing said computer to generate an initial graph that plots radiation dose values used during said radiation therapy versus a range of possible fractions into which said radiation therapy can be divided; 
 utilizing said computer to access at least one of said reference databases containing historical data of radiation doses used during prior radiation therapies; 
 utilizing said computer to filter said historical data for data that matches said subject demographic of said subject patient, therein producing filtered data; and 
 utilizing said computer to plot at least some of said filtered data onto said initial graph, therein providing a reference graph to assist in selecting an effective radiation level for said volume of tissue of said subject patient. 
 
     
     
       16. The method according to  claim 15 , wherein said filtered data contains indicators of adverse effects caused by past radiation levels. 
     
     
       17. The method according to  claim 15 , further including the step of utilizing said computer to plot a maximum radiation dose threshold level onto said reference graph. 
     
     
       18. The method according to  claim 17 , further including the step of utilizing said computer to plot a minimum radiation dose threshold level onto said reference graph.